The Cleveland Browns surprised some by selecting quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but the former Oregon Ducks signal caller might prove to be an ideal fit for Browns' coach Kevin Stefanski's system. Still, Gabriel is expected to compete for Cleveland's starting quarterback position alongside fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders, Joe Flacco, and Kenny Pickett.
At the NFL Combine before the draft, Stefanski spoke to the media and revealed some of his process behind evaluating quarterback prospects:
"I think every single play as a quarterback you're doing something – whether it's a run check, or it's a motion, a decision that you're making based on a safety's depth – all those types of things factor into decision making. I think accuracy, obviously, innate ability to put the ball where it needs to be is important. . . . So, I think all these players are different. All their traits are different," Stefanski said.
Based on the Browns coach's earlier comments, Cleveland spending a third-round pick to draft Gabriel starts to make sense. In his lone season with the Ducks, Gabriel completed 72.9 percent of his passes, the highest mark of his collegiate career. He also threw for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns, and six interceptions while leading Oregon to the College Football Playoff.
NFL Draft Buzz's Taylor Lennox highlighted Gabriel's decision making in his scouting report of the Cleveland rookie:
"Let's be real - the measurables are rough. Bottom-tier numbers across the board in height, weight, arm length, and wingspan isn't what you're looking for in an NFL quarterback. But after grinding his Oregon tape, particularly the Maryland and Boise State games, there's something here that transcends the testing. Gabriel's ability to process information pre-snap and manipulate defenders with his eyes stands out in ways that matter for Sunday football," wrote Lennox.
Cleveland promoted Tommy Rees to be the Browns offensive coordinator, but Stefanski is still planning to call plays for the offense. Will Gabriel's decision-making and processing abilities set him apart from the rest of Cleveland's quarterbacks?
Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein and coach Dan Lanning helped develop current Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix into a first round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Nix found immediate success upon his arrival in the NFL. Can Gabriel replicate Nix's path?
Unlike Nix, Gabriel has to beat out another rookie quarterback in order to win the starting job. Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders was one of the more popular NFL Draft prospects in recent memory, and the Browns were able to draft him in the fifth round. Like Gabriel, Sanders was one of the most accurate passers during the 2024 college football season.
If both rookies are able to translate their abilities to the NFL, Stefanski and the Browns could have a difficult decision to make.
Cleveland's offseason workouts will resume on Tuesday with organized team activities (OTAs), giving Browns coaches and fans another chance to evaluate each quarterback on the roster.
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